Baron Batch will not practice with the rookies and some first-year players over the weekend, even though he is eligible to do so.

Batch isn’t yet ready to practice after having ACL surgery in the middle of August. So, nearly nine months later, he apparently has not been cleared to go.

It’s another reason to believe that Rashard Mendenhall might not play this season. He had surgery in mid-January. If he follows Batch’s schedule, he still won’t be ready to go in mid-October. He’ll open the season on PUP. After six weeks, he can practice for three weeks (or not, if he cannot). After those three weeks, the Steelers would have to decide whether to put him on the 53-man roster, or keep him on PUP for the rest of the season.

That means the Steelers will have the week before their Nov. 18 game against Baltimore to decide whether to activate Mendenhall or put him on the shelf for the season and, if that happens, likely never see him in a Steelers uniform again.

Onto some other stuff:

--- Two quarterbacks will participate in this rookie orientation, neither one a Steelers rookie. One is former Texas A&M QB Jerrod Johnson, who has not been on a 53-man roster and is considered a first-year player, thus eligible to participate. The other is Darron Thomas, an undrafted, unsigned rookie QB from Oregon who will have a “tryout” this weekend with the Steelers. He’ll also try out with the Arizona Cardinals.

--- Terrell Suggs expects to return to play sometime this season after his achilles tendon was “partially” torn. I don’t think so. Check with Willie Colon and Limas Sweed about that.

--- YOU: Are there any free agents left that the Steelers are looking at?

ME: I haven’t heard of any, but they said after the draft that they may not be done signing free agents. Of course, that would mean they have already begun. I’ll give them that since they did sign a backup tight end – as well as two backup quarterbacks and a backup offensive lineman who returned to them as free agents.

--- YOU: Would the Steelers share with you their draft board rankings once the draft is complete? It would be interesting to see who they ranked highly and who they didn't.

ME: No, that never has nor will it ever happen. Through the years, various Steelers personnel people or coaches have told me they had this player ahead of this one or vice versa, or that they put a fourth-round grade on someone another team drafted in the first or second. I was told after they drafted David DeCastro that Dont’a Hightower was close, but they never expected DeCastro to fall to No. 24. But see their board or all of their ratings? Never.

--- YOU: I hve a a couple of quick questions for you... What is all this outrage in regards to the Saints players' suspensions? Why is the NFLPA coming out of the woodwork pretending to care of happens to their players, and since when does it matter whether the league has circumstantial evidence or hard core physical evidence to suspend a player? When was the NFLPA when Ben Rothliesberger was handed a 6 game suspension? And where were they when the topic of "Goodell has too much power when it comes to player discipline" cam up during CBA negotiation?

Ok... that's more than a couple of questions, but as far as I'm concerned, only one team voted again the ratification of the current CBA because of this issue and only one team has the right to complain... Everyone else should just shut up, including the NFLPA.

ME: First of all, count me among those who believe that “bountygate” has been blown way out of proportion and all of the penalties are too much. Let’s say Greg Williams told his players at that taped meeting to go out and target the ACLs of other players and to chop off the head and the body will die – WITHOUT a bounty being involved. Let’s say they did all those things and no money was offered or passed hands. Guess what? There would be no punishment. I once wrote about Hardy Nickerson’s broken hand in training camp, an injury the Steelers had not revealed. Bill Cowher read me the riot act over that citing as his main reason that opponents would now target that hand. He called me naïve when I said, “really?’’

They also offered bounties for sacks and interceptions, which is also against NFL rules. So they should have been punished but again I think it was too much, especially a year’s suspension for a player and a head coach. I think we all know why the NFL is making a big deal about this and why the punishment is so draconian. It’s because of all those lawsuits filed by former players about the alleged concussions they suffered and the affect they allegedly still have on their lives. I’m not discounting that any of that did not occur, just that the NFL now is trying to close the door on possible future lawsuits, or at least the chance that someone will actually win one.

As for the NFLPA, yes, the union leadership and their players capitulated in the last CBA to management, caved I believe is the word. They got very little out of it and a 10-year deal with no chance to rework it. The Steelers were the only smart ones.

However, that doesn’t mean the NFLPA should just throw up its hands in surrender again every time it believes its membership has been dealt with unfairly.

--- YOU: People are saying DeCastro won't be allowed to wear his college #52 with the Steelers, because it was Mike Webster's.

As with most Steelers fans, I loved Iron Mike. But unlike those who argue that no one should wear that number again, I think it would actually be great to see that number on the field again, particularly by someone who appears to be bound for greatness. I see it not as a detriment, but as a tribute to Webster's legacy.

ME: What if DeCastro turns into a bust? How would that honor Webby’s legacy. The Steelers, by the way, haven’t socked away ALL of their great players’ numbers. Here is a list of players who have worn No. 88 since Lynn Swann retired: Craig Dunaway, John Rodgers, Jessie Britt, Joey Clinkscales, Jason Johnson, Chris Calloway, Mark Didio, Andre Hastings, Courtney Hawkins, Tim Baker, Terance Mathis, Matt Kranchick, Jon Dekker and Emmanuel Sanders.

Based on that list, the Steelers actually should open up their other “retired” numbers to new players. What could it hurt?

batch said via twitter that he didnt practice because he is not a rookie and doesnt have to show up, after reminding all you jabronies not to believe everything you read on da internetz from fake ass bloggers like bouchette. (ok, i made up the part about him slamming ed).

Hawaii 5-0

05-04-2012, 05:40 PM

batch said via twitter that he didnt practice because he is not a rookie and doesnt have to show up, after reminding all you jabronies not to believe everything you read on da internetz from fake ass bloggers like bouchette. (ok, i made up the part about him slamming ed).

Ed has updated:

FRIDAY, 04 MAY 2012 WRITTEN BY ED BOUCHETTE

The Steelers provided information on Baron Batch. Without saying whether he would be ready to participate in this rookie orientation, they said through a spokesman that he is ineligible for it because he spent the year on injured reserve.

I have high hopes of Batch. I fully expect that this year is his breakout year.

tony hipchest

05-04-2012, 05:54 PM

Ed has updated:

FRIDAY, 04 MAY 2012 WRITTEN BY ED BOUCHETTE

The Steelers provided information on Baron Batch. Without saying whether he would be ready to participate in this rookie orientation, they said through a spokesman that he is ineligible for it because he spent the year on injured reserve.

http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php/pro-sports/steelers/116237-ed-farriors-number-doesnt-last-long-in-retirementthat kinda sucks if he is denied the opportunity to show up just because he was injured. from what i understood it is for rookies and first year players. i didnt realize being placed on IR is why he wasnt allowed to show.

sucks because he didnt have these workouts last year due to lockout, missed everything else due to injury, now the playbook he spent the entire year learning has been tossed out the window. seems kinda unfair, but he's a smart guy who should pick it up in no time... i.e. 2-3 years.

Vis

05-04-2012, 05:55 PM

If the team is short RB's, I'm ready

Fire Arians

05-04-2012, 05:59 PM

If the team is short RB's, I'm ready

they should give former_rb a call, he will make ray lewis cry

austinfrench76

05-06-2012, 05:02 PM

I don't understand our back up QB situation. All of the guys we bring in are "athlete's". What is that about?? Why not a drop back QB?

austinfrench76

05-06-2012, 06:41 PM

Damn I wanna see this kid play. Love his ability and character. Hope this works out!

steeltheone

05-06-2012, 08:19 PM

Batch was another " draft day steal "

Steelersfan87

05-06-2012, 08:23 PM

And because he got injured he was a horrible waste of a 7th round pick and puts the Steelers back 3 years.

QCbeauBlak

05-06-2012, 10:41 PM

And because he got injured he was a horrible waste of a 7th round pick and puts the Steelers back 3 years.

:rofl: lol I feel you 100%..

It's the nature of the game. But here's to hoping he will be back.. I've seen videos of him sprinting a couple month's ago. Hopefully he hasn't had a set back, but this mess Ed is writing stinks of speculation.

ebsteelers

05-07-2012, 08:59 AM

And because he got injured he was a horrible waste of a 7th round pick and puts the Steelers back 3 years.

got em. lol

cause on draft day we knew he would get hurt last practice of camp..

thats why all the jabronis who get fired up, about players being drafted needed to relax till we play a game or 2.

still think batch is gonna be a solid pro..

redman, batch, rainey,

is john clay back this year?

got power, speed, catching out of the backfield

Hawaii 5-0

05-18-2012, 09:52 PM

Baron Batch Is The Pittsburgh Steelers’ Very Own Tim Tebow

Friday, May 18th, 2012 by Cian Fahey

Over the past few years, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been very fortunate with their late round draft picks and undrafted free agent pickups. Players like Antonio Brown, Ramon Foster, Doug Legurksy, Weslye Saunders and Ryan Mundy have all been success stories for Kevin Colbert.

However for every Mundy there is a Mike Humpal, every Brown a Ra'shon Harris and every Foster an A.Q. Shipley.

The truth is that the Steelers are no different from any other team in that they hit and miss in every area of the draft. Maybe their success rate is better than most but it is still by no means a certain science. Just look at the 2008 draft as just two, Mundy and Rashard Mendenhall, of the seven selections remain with the roster.

While I, like all of you, hope that each of the team's late round draft picks prove to be productive players, I don't expect any of them to be. In fact, I must encourage myself to curb my expectations on the earlier draft picks also because they are no certainties.

This off-season I have read a lot of talk about two players. Two running-backs.

Despite the fact that neither of these backs had played a single regular season game, in fact one of them hasn't even played in a preseason game, both players carried a lot of hype during this off-season and it appeared like a stigma to put any perspective on either player.

Chad Spann was a running back who had a lot of people talking about him this off-season as a potential player to make the roster. Spann was expected by some to be a part of the committee that would replace Mendenhall this season.

A few weeks ago, Spann was released.

Spann isn't really the issue here however. The real issue resides around a running back the Steelers drafted in the seventh round last year. Seen as a replacement for Mewelde Moore, Baron Batch has a lot of people talking this off-season.

What is all that talk based on?

It's difficult to really understand. It appears that he gained a lot of respect from the Steelers' fanbase because of a single block on James Harrison.

One single block.

Not just one single block. One single block in training camp. Training camp, not a even a pre-season. Not even a scrimmage. One single block, in a drill, in training camp.

After that block, Batch tore his ACL and was ruled out for the season. Considering the situation, Batch is more likely to be cut during training camp than even make the roster for the regular season. He is recovering from a serious knee injury after coming out of college in the seventh round. Not the first round, the seventh round.

Batch is a good football player. Everyone in the NFL is. However the idea that he is a sure thing to be a game changer for the Steelers, or even a role player, is raising the bar too high.

I know very little about Batch the football player. You can slate me for that all you like but you know very little about him as well. Don't tell me that he is a star, he hasn't played a preseason game yet. You haven't seen him on the field in a professional environment therefore you have no clue how he will react.

While I know very little about Batch the football player, I have gained some idea of his personality from his active blog/twitter account. Don't get me wrong, I don't claim to know him at all, but Batch has provided some insight recently into how ridiculous the notion of him even being "famous" is.

I suspect I will receive a lot of criticism for being down on Batch, some will call me a hater, I'm not down on Batch at all. I'm just not expecting him to do anything. As with every other Steelers player in his position, I have hope for him.

Hope, but no expectation. Expectation comes with what you've done on the field. Hope comes with talent and potential sometimes even reputation.

One block in training camp isn't worthy of a reputation.

Just like with Tim Tebow, Batch is being unfairly treated by those expecting him to be LaDainian Tomlinson from day one. It's not his fault, it's the media/audience following him that are construing the facts.